Networking. As a small business owner, you’ve probably done it a few hundred times by now. And, at this point, you could do it in your sleep. But that’s the problem: networking has become like following the same script over and over.

Not to fear, however. There are innovative ways to network you may not have considered – ways that can help you build your client base and sales.

Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to reach your audience, but sometimes your emails just don’t cut it. Why? Well, we know it hurts to hear it, but they just plain suck. Don’t give up, though. There are some easy ways to fix what’s half-broke. Here are five ways to get the lead out of your lackluster email marketing campaign.

Let’s face it, creating and communicating content is a critical part of the equation for businesses and business professionals. But getting people to read it is often the hardest part. The good news is, by using following proven rules and formats you can build the volume you want for your vital content. Here are some tips:

Mark Kohler discusses in this video the different terminologies you have to understand when doing just that!

Now, be very careful when you’re taking money from others for your business and make sure you understand these different terms as they have different implications to your business’ operation:
Lender
Investors
Partner

Anyone can be an effective leader. That’s right—anyone. It doesn’t matter what school you went to, what kind of shoes you wear, or if you wake up on the left or right side of the bed. What really matters is whether you are willing to help and support others while doing the following:

“I’m Dave Murray, the Big Guy at Mayniax Branding, and I’m an incorrigible smartass. But I take what I do very seriously.

“The world’s broken, and we believe entrepreneurs are the only ones who can fix it. But they’ll never get that chance if no one cares about their brands. So, with a little fun, a little research, and a lotta caffeine, it’s our job to make people care.”

The above is how I introduce myself to groups. It’s a little funny, a little serious, and makes it so people know what I’m about right outta the gate. It also includes the “why” for Mayniax Branding: The world is broken, and we believe entrepreneurs are the only ones who can fix it.

First, because I can, I’m going to type a little more about the why of Mayniax Branding. After that, I’ll explain how using the “why” worked out for a little company called Apple. So sit back, grab a cup of caffeine, and let’s get this “why” party started!

A lot of people are nervous when they think about networking. They have lots of questions on the best approach when attending networking events so that they can have the chance to connect with really awesome people.

While some may say that networking is over rated, Devora explains that it’s truly underrated.

In this video, Devora Zack explains what real networking is really all about. And it boils down to building meaningful, lasting and most of all, mutually beneficial relationship one person at a time.

Few things are as difficult as public speaking. Anyone can stand in front of a crowd and just talk (though they may be quaking in their boots doing it). It’s much harder to deliver a speech that interests, engages, and persuades. But buck up, Bud, good public speaking takes some work, and you might even need to get some practice in, but the tips below are sure to help you not only keep your audience awake but also inspire them.

Being productive while working from home is sometimes a huge challenge. When you work for yourself, it is easy to put things off, as you don’t have a screaming boss waiting for you to complete tasks. Although, let’s face it, you do have a boss or bosses. They’re called clients. There are countless distractions that affect productivity. Productivity can be defined as completion of tasks in a short amount of time without sacrificing quality of work. The difficult thing to determine is what that looks like for each person.

What is productive for you may be very different from what it is for me. However, to maintain standards of productivity, it’s important to look at ways to maximize the time spent at work.

Chances are when you started your business, you were full of enthusiasm, creativity, and the motivation to get out there and deal with every challenge and task that came your way. That drive is what pushed you to take the first step. But, after some time in business, it’s normal to see that enthusiasm start to slip away. Maybe you started your own business because you wanted to create and sell your own art. Soon you realize you’re spending most of your time balancing the books or talking with advertisers, leaving you little time to create the art that was your reason for becoming an entrepreneur.

You wonder why you wanted to do this to begin with. This new reality affects your motivation, your creativity and your productivity. If you’ve felt less than joyful about your business lately, it may be time to reboot your entrepreneurial mindset.